Police not seizing firearms, public safety commissioner says

Despite rumors to the contrary, state police have made no effort to go door-to-door and confiscate firearms in the wake of the new laws banning certain assault-style weapons and high-capacity magazines, according to Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection Commissioner Dora B. Schriro.

Schriro sent a letter to state legislators on Friday to ease concerns of some who had been hearing from their constituents.

"This law will be enforced by state law enforcement in the same manner and using the same discretion as would apply to every other criminal law," Schriro wrote.

More than 200 people who tried to register their assault-style guns or declare ownership of high-capacity magazines but missed the Jan. 1 deadline started getting rejection letters last month.

The letter informs the applicant that their paperwork was not submitted in time and outlines options for the now illegal firearms and magazines: Render the weapon or magazine permanently inoperable, sell it to a licensed gun dealer, remove it from the state or make arrangements to hand it over to local or state police.